Cell Structure Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the function of the Vacuole?

A
  • To keep the cell turgid
  • Membrane bound sac to store organic and inorganic substances as well as waste
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2
Q

What are the 4 main features of the vacuole?

A
  • Tonoplast
  • High hydrostatic pressure
  • Coloured pigments
  • Large volume
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3
Q

What is the function of the tonoplast within a vacuole?

A
  • Control entry/ exit of substances
  • Compartmentalisation
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4
Q

What is the function of having a high hydrostatic pressure within a vacuole?

A
  • For turgidity
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5
Q

What is the function of coloured pigments within a vacuole?

A
  • To attract insects for pollination
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6
Q

What is the function of a large area within a vacuole?

A
  • To push the chloroplasts to the outer edges for maximised CO2 and light absorption
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7
Q

What is the function of the cellulose cell wall?

A
  • Strength and rigidity
  • Fully permeable to solutes
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8
Q

What are the 4 main features of a cellulose cell wall?

A
  • Strong composite structure of cellulose microfibrils within a pectin matrix
  • Permeable network of cellulose microfibrils
  • Middle lamella made of pectin
  • Pits and Plasmodesmata
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9
Q

What is the function of a strong composite structure of cellulose microfibrils within a pectin matrix in the cell wall?

A
  • To give the cell strength when it is turgid
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10
Q

What is the function of a permeable network of cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall?

A
  • Allow substances to easily pass through
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11
Q

What is the function of a middle lamella made of pectin within the cell wall?

A
  • To hold cells together
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12
Q

What is the function of the pits and plasmodesmata in a cell wall?

A
  • To allow substances to move easily from cell to cell
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13
Q

What is the function of an amyloplast?

A
  • To store glucose as an insoluble carbohydrate so it can be hydrolysed back to glucose when required
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14
Q

What are the 3 main features of an amyloplast?

A
  • Insoluble starch
  • Easy to hydrolyse
  • Compact structure
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15
Q

What are the 2 reasons starch is insoluble within an amyloplast?

A
  • So it doesn’t affect osmosis
  • So a store is able to be maintained without leaving the cell
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16
Q

Why is the insoluble starch easy to hydrolyse in an amyloplast?

A
  • So it can be converted to glucose when needed for reactions like cell wall synthesis, respiration.
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17
Q

Why does the amyloplast have a compact structure?

A
  • So lots of carbohydrates/ glucose is able to be stored in a small space
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18
Q

What is the function of a chloroplast?

A
  • To absorb light in photosynthesis for glucose
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19
Q

What are the 4 main features of a chloroplast?

A
  • Contain enzymes in the stroma
  • Contain ribosomes and DNA in the stroma
  • Stacks of thylakoid membranes in the grana
  • Double membrane
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20
Q

What is the function of having DNA and ribosomes in the stroma of a choroplast?

A
  • So it can perform protein synthesis independent from the rest of the cell
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21
Q

What is the function of having enzymes within the stroma of a chloroplast?

A
  • To catalyse the many photosynthesis reactions
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22
Q

What is the function of the stacks of thylakoid membranes in the grana of a chloroplast?

A
  • Large SA for chloroplasts and therefore photosynthesis
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23
Q

Why does a chloroplast have a double membrane?

A
  • Compartmentalisation
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24
Q

What is the function of the mitochondria?

A
  • Aerobic respiration
  • Release energy from glucose for ATP
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25
Q

What are the 4 main features of the mitochondria?

A
  • Cristae
  • Matrix
  • DNA and ribosomes
  • Double membrane
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26
Q

What is the function of a cristae within the mitochondrion?

A
  • Large SA with enzymes for ATP production
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27
Q

What is the function of the matrix within the mitochondrion?

A
  • Contain enzymes
  • Contain the mitochondria’s DNA
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28
Q

What is the function of the DNA and ribosomes within a mitochondrion?

A
  • To perform protein synthesis independent from the rest of the cell
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29
Q

Why does the mitochondria have a double membrane?

A
  • Control the entry/ exit of substances
  • Compartmentalisation
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30
Q

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

A
  • To modify, tag and package polypeptides into new proteins
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31
Q

What are the 4 main features of the Golgi apparatus?

A
  • Membrane bound cavities
  • Enzymes within the cavities
  • Form Secretory vesicles
  • Lysosomes
32
Q

What is the function of the membrane bound cavities in the Golgi?

A
  • Compartmentalisation
33
Q

What is the function of the enzymes within the cavities in the Golgi?

A
  • To catalyse the reactions
34
Q

What is the function of the secretory vesicles in the Golgi?

A
  • To transport newly formed proteins out of the cell
35
Q

What is the function of the lysosomes released by the Golgi?

A
  • To break down and destroy old worn out cells with lysozymes (hydrolytic enzymes)
36
Q

What is the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?

A
  • To synthesise, store and transport lipids
37
Q

What is the function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum?

A
  • Protein synthesis
38
Q

What are the 4 main features of the RER?

A
  • Cisternae
  • Large SA
  • Form vesicles
  • Ribosomes
39
Q

What is the function of the cisternae in the RER?

A
  • Compartmentalisation
40
Q

What is the function of the large SA within the RER?

A
  • Millions of attachment points for ribosomes for protein synthesis
41
Q

What is the function of the ribosomes in the RER?

A
  • Protein synthesis
42
Q

What is the function of the vesicles formed by the RER?

A
  • To transport polypeptides to the Golgi apparatus
43
Q

What is the function of the nucleus?

A
  • To produce ribosomes
  • To store genetic information
  • To release polypeptides for modification at the Golgi
44
Q

What are the 5 main features of the nucleus?

A
  • Nuclear pores
  • Nucleolus
  • Nuclear envelope
  • Chromatin
  • Nucleoplasm
45
Q

What is the function of nuclear pores in the nucleus?

A
  • Control entry/ exit of substances
46
Q

What is the function of the nucleolus in the nucleus?

A
  • Contain the genes that code for ribosomes
47
Q

What is the function of the nuclear envelope in the nucleus?

A
  • Compartmentalisation
  • Control entry/ exit of substances
48
Q

What is the function of the chromatin in the nucleus?

A
  • Allow the genes to be read
49
Q

What is the function of the nucleoplasm in the nucleus?

A
  • Site of reactions
50
Q

What are the size of ribosomes in eukaryotes?

A
  • 80S
51
Q

What are the size of ribosomes in prokaryotes?

A
  • 70S
52
Q

What are the features/ functions of fungal cells?

A
  • Contain most of the organelles found in plant cells
  • Contain chitin in the cell wall rather than cellulose
  • Don’t contain chloroplasts
53
Q

What are the features/ functions of algal cells?

A
  • Contain the same organelles as plant cells
  • Chloroplasts are a different shape
54
Q

What are the differences between eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells?

A
  • Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus, prokaryotic don’t.
  • Eukaryotic ribosomes are larger than prokaryotic ribosomes.
  • Eukaryotic cells are larger than prokaryotic cells.
  • Cell wall is made of murein in prokaryotic cells, but cellulose or chitin in eukaryotic cells.
55
Q

What are some features in prokaryotic cells that are not found in eukaryotic cells?

A
  • Capsule
  • Flagellum
  • Pili
56
Q

What is the function of the capsule in prokaryotic cells?

A
  • Protects the cell from attacks from antibiotics or white blood cells
57
Q

What is the function of the flagellum in prokaryotic cells?

A
  • To propel the cell through the environment
58
Q

What is the function of the pili in prokaryotic cells?

A
  • To attach the cell onto other surfaces or cells
59
Q

What are the features of a virus?

A
  • Genetic material
  • Glycoproteins
  • Capsid
  • Envelope
  • Enzymes
60
Q

What type of genetic material is found in a virus?

A
  • DNA or RNA, both single or double stranded
61
Q

What is the function of the capsid in a virus?

A
  • To protect the genetic material
62
Q

What is the function of the glycoproteins in a virus?

A
  • To help the virus bind to host cells
63
Q

What is the function of the enzymes that are sometimes carried in a virus?

A
  • To convert RNA into DNA
64
Q

What is the maximum resolution and magnification of a light microscope?

A

Resolution - 0.2 micrometres
Magnification - x1500

65
Q

What is the difference between transmission and scanning electron microscopes?

A
  • SEM see in 3D, TEM in 2D.
  • SEM have a resolution of 5 nm, TEM a resolution of 0.5 nm.
66
Q

What is the maximum resolution and magnification of an TEM microscope?

A

Magnification - x1,500,000
Resolution - 0.5 nm

67
Q

What is the maximum resolution and magnification of an SEM microscope?

A

Magnification - x1,500,000
Resolution - 5 nm

68
Q

What are the 3 steps of cell fractionation?

A
  • Homogenisation
  • Filtration
  • Ultracentrifugation
69
Q

Why does the sample have to be ice-cold?

A
  • To slow down enzyme activity
70
Q

Why does the sample have to be isotonic?

A
  • So the water potential isn’t affected
71
Q

Why does the sample have to be buffered?

A
  • To keep the pH constant
  • Prevent the enzymes from denaturing
72
Q

What is the pellet?

A
  • The sediment at the bottom of the tube, most dense and heaviest.
73
Q

What is the supernatant?

A
  • The liquid remaining above the pellet
74
Q

What is the order of organelles from heaviest to lightest in ultracentrifugation?

A
  • Nuclei
  • Chloroplast
  • Mitochondria
  • Lysosomes
  • Endoplasmic reticulum
  • Ribosomes
75
Q

What increases the rate of movement across membranes?

A
  • microvilli - increased surface area for the insertion of carrier proteins which diffusion, facilitated diffusion and active transport can take place
  • the number of protein channels and carrier proteins in any given area of a membrane